Page 65 of The Problem with Players

She smiled. “At least you have a good idea of the person I am. If you change your mind, let me know.”

I rolled my shoulders back and stretched. “I won’t, but thank you for the offer. I have too much to figure out back here. Like where I’m going to live.”

“Oh, crap. I didn’t even think about that. You and Wesley lived together,” Yara stated.

“Inhishouse. Yeah. So I’m a bit shit out of luck on that front. I have to figure that out sooner than later.”

“Oh gosh. Stay here! You can have Big Bird,” Willow offered. “I won’t be here anyway. This paradise can be all yours. Plus, having someone watching the place while I’m gone would be nice.”

I glanced around the bus and had a moment of hesitation. Then I realized it was the perfect solution for the in-between period of my life. Like I said, Willow’s place was highly impressive. I didn’t hate the idea of it at all, and it took extra stress off me to try to figure out a living arrangement.

Even though Nathan ever-so-nicely offered me to be roommates with him.

“I’ll watch over your place until I can find my own,” I said. “Better than my other option.”

“What was the other option?” Yara asked.

“Nathan offered me to be his roommate,” I nonchalantly stated.

“What?!” they remarked.

Willow sat back down beside me, her eyes widening with the giddiest grin on her face. “Oh gosh, I can’t believe we haven’t dove deeper into the Nathan aspect of this whole situation. This is a big deal.”

“It’s not a big deal,” I disagreed.

“You running off with your former secret lover after your wedding was called off? Uh, yeah, that’s a big deal,” she said.

Yara nodded. “Sorry, Ave. I gotta agree with Willow. This is wild.”

“Did you two sleep together?” Willow asked.

“What? Oh my gosh, no.” I lightly shoved her arm. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing. I think sex is a beautiful way to release some stress hormones. It’s a beautiful, natural act that two people take part in, and?—”

“And it didn’t happen. I would never, ever sleep with that man,” I sternly said as I crossed my arms. “There’s no way in hell that would happen. I don’t like the guy. I hardly tolerate him.”

“You have to admit, though, it was nice of him to help you when you needed someone. I always liked Nathan,” Yara said. “And it’s even nicer for him to try to help you out with a living arrangement. Though, could you imagine the town’s gossip if you moved in with another man after you called off your wedding?”

I grumbled. “I could, and I hate the thought. I bet they’re already having a field day talking about me.”

“Oh, it’s not that bad,” Yara replied in a singsong tone which told me it wasthatbad.

“Everyone’s talking about it, huh?” I muttered.

“Literally everyone. Even Mrs. Carpenter, and she hasn’t spoken since 1995,” Willow said.

“Splendid,” I murmured, pressing the palms of my hands to the back of my neck. “Nothing better than a gossiping town gossiping about me.”

“Don’t worry. Alex and I had people gossiping about us, too, when we first got together. Now, they’re in love with us. Well, in love with me. I think they just put up with Alex and his grimaces,” Yara said.

“I can guarantee you that Alex doesn’t care that these townsfolk don’t like him,” I replied.

“Maybe that’s the mindset you need to take on with them, too. Be like Alex. Tell everyone to piss off,” Willow expressed with a smile. “He’d probably kick their butts for looking at him wrong, too.”

“Pray for my daughter’s first boyfriend,” Yara quipped. “But really, Avery. Screw the townspeople. They are small-town people with small minds. If you want to live with Nathan Pierce, by all means?—”

“I’m not living with Nathan Pierce!” I shouted. Even though, maybe just a little, maybe just for a small moment in time, I secretly considered the idea. I rolled my shoulders back and turned to Willow. “Do you have anything stronger than tea?”

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